Lamine Yamal slid to his back, his hands covering his face. The 19-year-old Barcelona phenom is so used to winning, and playing so spectacularly well, that he seemed the most awestruck of all the 60,000-plus at Camp Nou when he missed a chance like few others against Real Madrid on Sunday. Yamal’s close-range miss late in the first half summed up a frustrating Clasico for Barcelona, which ended in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid. Kylian Mbappe scored twice for Madrid to give Jose Mourinho a victory in his first game at Camp Nou since returning to coach Barcelona’s fierce rivals. Mbappe and Yamal are two of the favourites for the Ballon d’Or award to be announced in London on Monday. While voting for the world’s top player last season ended a month ago, Mbappé upstaged Yamal on the field this time. Madrid had fortune on their side in the 41st minute when Mbappé’s first goal was part chance, part being in the right place.

 

Barcelona defender Gerard Martin tried to clear a cross by Yan Diomande. But his low, horizontal clearance hit Mbappé and ricocheted into the net. Yamal then missed his golden opportunity to quickly pull Barcelona level before half-time. Fermin Lopez found him all alone streaking into the area. But Yamal, who arguably has the fanciest feet in soccer right now, flubbed his shot from near the corner of the six-yard box, sending his shot well wide of the post. And this from a player who has made scoring incredibly difficult goals look easy. After having helped Spain win the World Cup in the summer, Yamal has 10 goals and 10 assists across La Liga and Champions League, plus another four goals for Spain, already this campaign. It was that kind of night for Barcelona. Raphinha levelled in the 61st when he received a pass from Pedri and fired a shot between the legs of Jude Bellingham for a league-leading 13th goal. But the wide-open game swung Madrid’s way for good in the 87th when substitute Eduardo Camavinga ran down a long ball, drew goalkeeper Joan Garcia off his line and passed for Mbappé to tap home.